The present invention relates to a casino game incorporating multiple playing modes and multiple wagering options and, more particularly, to a casino poker game that includes modes of play with no casino advantage.
Casino operators are continuously searching for ways to make casino table games more attractive and player friendly. New poker derivatives such as Caribbean Stud, Let-it-Ride, Pai Gow Poker, and Three Card Poker have made a significant contribution; however, many traditional players still regard these games as having too high a house advantage. Therefore, there would be a significant market for a poker derivative game where the house advantage was less apparent. Ideally, a beneficial innovation could include the implementation of a game incorporating bets with no house advantage.
With respect to types of poker, conventional established terms are draw and stud. These terms have become out-of-date as community card games and showdown games are established. Community card games such as Hold""em and Omaha could be regarded as combining aspects of both draw and stud, whereas showdown could be dealt as either a draw, stud or community card version.
Showdown is a version where equal bets by each player are made, and each player receives the appropriate poker hand for the variation played. The hands are shown and the best hand wins. Therefore, there is no skill at basic showdown. This version has been played as one-table satellite events for tournaments, whereby the total pool or pot of equal player bets or entry fees is sufficient to enable the winner to enter the relevant poker tournament.
There are of course a variety of forms of poker such as three-card, five-card and seven-card. These varieties could be played in each of the types described, being draw, stud, community card or showdown. Also, there are different play methodologies such as player hand against player hand, player hand against house/dealer hand and player hand against payoff scale.
It would be desirable to incorporate all three play methodologies in as simple a poker game as possible and allow certain of these methodologies to be played without a house advantage inherent in those methodologies. The simplest type of poker game is showdown. The invention should be applicable to any form of poker but should most easily be applied to a standard three-card hand, a standard five-card hand and a standard seven-card hand, wherein the best five-card hand of the seven cards is utilized.
If the house advantage is applied to the payoff scale wager only, and the player against player and player against dealer wagers are dependent upon the payoff scale wager, then both of the dependent wager modes could be operated without any house advantage.
The game according to the invention, so-called Showdown Poker, is preferably played in a casino environment using a house dealer. The table is preferably a blackjack style size with a special dedicated cloth layout. One or more decks of standard fifty-two card decks are used with regular established poker rankings attributed to card combinations. Up to seven players and a dealer can be accommodated, with each player having a separate and distinct betting area.
Each player betting area has three individual betting areas, one for each mode of play, respectively. A compulsory mode of play is the mode against a payoff scale. Optional modes of play are a mode of player hand against player hand and player hand against dealer hand. As the optional modes are dependent upon play in the compulsory mode, there may be a numerical relationship between the wagers, which would preferably be an equal amount. The game could alternatively be operated either where one optional bet is compulsory or both optional bets are compulsory. Optional bets may be for any amount from the table minimum to, for example, the amount of the compulsory bet, and the two optional bets may be of similar or different amounts.
After placing bets, dealing hands and showing cards, all bets are resolved. The method of resolution of player hand against dealer hand is to compare the two hands, with the best hand according to the rules winning. If the house hand winds the player loses, but if the player hand wins, the player wins 1 to 1. This mode of play has no house advantage.
The method of resolution of player hand against player hand could include the dealer hand as a participating hand, thereby allowing resolution of this mode even when there is only one player and also where multiple players have placed different wager amounts. The player hand with the lowest wager in this mode is compared with all other player hands. The player with the best hand receives the amount of that wager from each player, including the dealer if the dealer is functioning as a player in this mode. That lowest wager hand is then ignored, and the player hand with the lowest remaining wager is compared and resolved using the same method. This process is repeated until all bets are resolved or until only one player remains. If the dealer functions as a player, then the bet is resolved by the same method as the player against dealer mode, whereas if the dealer does not function as a player, the surplus wager is merely returned to the player. This mode of play also has no house advantage.
The method of resolution of the payoff scale bets involves taking a losing hand wager and paying appropriate winning hand wagers according to a variable payout. Additionally, the payoff scale could include a comparison with the dealer hand, whereby with an inferior hand to the dealer hand, the player wager either loses or pushes. The desired house advantage is embodied in the payoff scale, and as the payoff wager is compulsory, an overall house advantage is effected.
These and other advantages of the present invention are achieved according to exemplary embodiments of the invention, wherein a method of playing a casino game includes the steps of (a) receiving a first wager for a first playing mode, the first playing mode being compulsory; and (b) receiving at least a second wager for at least a second playing mode, wherein the second playing is without a house advantage. The method may further include the step of (c) receiving a third wager for a third playing mode, which is also without a house advantage. In another exemplary embodiment, a method of playing a casino game includes the steps of (a) receiving a first wager for a first playing mode, (b) receiving a second wager for a second playing mode, and (c) receiving a third wager for a third playing mode, wherein the second and third playing modes are without a house advantage. In accordance with still other exemplary embodiments of the invention, an apparatus configured for playing a casino game includes a display, a player interface for receiving player input, and a processor configured to effect game play, wherein the processor enables the method according to the present invention.